Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer (DD:TD)
by Ser Savan
Summary: The Arisen has won the ultimate prize. Eternal life as a deity. However, this is not the boon it initially seems to be and it becomes clear that being World-Steward is less than divine. What happens when a Seneschal rebels against the eternal chain that binds them...? At last the 'Devourer' makes an appearance, but they are less than pleased with the Arisen... Chapter 5 added!
1. Chapter 1

_Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer_

By: Ser Savan ()

_Dedicated to all of the Dragon's Dogma folk on Tumblr, well met friends!_

* * *

**Spoilers**: _Take care you aren't soaked in spoilers! (_There be 'sort of' spoilers below_)_

**Outline**: This story follows on from the 'true' conclusion to Dragon's Dogma but just before the Godsbane Blade incident. This is a continuation of the life of the Arisen once the mantle of 'Seneschal' has been accepted.

**Notes**: I will be referring to the main character as the "Arisen", despite the compelling arguments for a named character or a more apt title I think this is the one that suits the 'Arisen' character best. The Arisen is a female sorcerer and her Pawn is a male ranger called Nier, there may be class changes in the future. Also, this was actually started before Dark Arisen was released, therefore, the expansion has not been factored in to the Arisen's journey.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Black Matter**

"_I am free of eternity. Free of the cruel, unending ring…_"

The final words of the former Seneschal, Savan, resonated within the Arisen's mind as she sat on the throne within the Seneschal's Chamber. Those words had grown in their profoundness with the passage of time. The absolute solitude of the empty gloomy world around her seemed almost _cruel_ and akin to a punishment for an unknown crime_._ She noticed a slight movement and glanced to her side where Nier was stood, attentive as always.

_This is eternity_, she thought to herself, _this is what the rest of time holds until the next Arisen comes_.

After Savan had vanished she was left feeling strangely overwhelmed with basic questions. Things she _should_ have asked him that had only struck her once the opportunity to raise them had passed. Initially, her efforts as Seneschal had been clumsy, resulting in several hard-learned lessons. Gradually her abilities in managing the world and its many denizens improved, but with her new found competence came a bitter twinge of malaise.

With increasing regularity she would slip out of her domain and visit the land of Gransys to see how it was faring. Whilst present she would assist the people with minor miracles such as a new vein of ore for the traders of Gran Soren or a bountiful supply of fish for the folk of Cassadis. She was careful to measure her 'boons' despite occasionally longing to provide something frivolous and extravagant. She was pleased to see the landscape was repaired and the people of Gransys were living their lives more comfortably since the aftermath of her ascension to Godhood. The visits gave her a much needed opportunity to observe the world and its development under her guidance. They were also selfish, providing her with a sense of satisfaction in occupying her time with actions rather than observations. These 'boons' had become a welcomed, almost addictive, distraction from boredom. Though, it was always short-lived and dampened by duties of a more grim nature.

As the "Seneschal" she was tasked with the micromanagement of everything relating to the world that she was considered the 'sovereign' of, which included the taking of life. It was a task that she approached with sobriety, and often struggled with. It had been particularly difficult to steal the Chief of Cassadis, Adaro, away from his people. The mourning festival had lasted 10 days and the people remained subdued for weeks after. Their only reprieve had been to celebrate the ascension of the new Chief, Quina, to her role.

In complete contrast, the day of the Duke's death was undertaken with absolute indifference. Memories of his attempted betrayal and madness persisted in her mind as she drove the Godsbane Blade through his chest. It had been a sunny morning in Gran Soren and the Duke was holding a meeting regarding the future development, and expansion, of his beloved city. Mid-speech the Arisen readied her blade and stabbed him in the heart. None of the onlookers could see her or the wound she left on his body. His chamberlains had rushed to his side but they could not save their Duke, no matter how many priests prayed nor alchemists brewed. Thus, it was assumed that he had died from natural trauma 'given his age'.

The Arisen sat up, roused from her day dreams, Nier looked to her with his strangely hollow eyes and offered her a doll-like quirking of his lips, his best attempt at a smile. Nier was a tall, youthful warrior who had served her faithfully from the moment she touched the Riftstone. The moment of his 'birth' had been a shock to her. As he manifested before her she had looked at his face and found that it was painfully similar to her best friend, whom she had taken to calling 'brother' in her youth. She was devastated when he was lost at sea. The pawn's skin had bore the same slight bronze-tint from a life lived under the sun, his eyes were a vibrant sky blue and his short, scruffy black hair was the unmistakeable 'style' that her best friend had been proud of. It was so uncanny that she had been unable to stop herself from crying at the sight of him. Rook had told her that most Arisen reported similar stories of their pawn bearing a likeness to a friend or loved one and to '_avoid feeling any sense of alarm_' by this likeness. Yet his smiling eyes, though hollow, still disconcerted her.

For a long time after their first meeting the Arisen had struggled with the innate desire to call Nier "brother". The pawn had assured her that she could call him 'whatever' pleased her, when the word occasionally slipped out, but despite these assurances she maintained that she would learn to call him "Nier". _Because he was not her 'brother', he was a 'pawn'_. Nier never expressed offence when faced with her defensiveness. In fact he was never offended by anything, even the occasional misguided spell hitting him in the back…

"Arisen… Does something trouble you?" He asked in a pleasant tone.

She shook her head, "No… I … was just trying to think of what to do with myself..."

"Mayhaps it would please you to visit Gransys again? It usually pleases you well enough."

"No… I don't think it will today."

"Very well." He was clearly out of suggestions.

She stood from the throne and walked a few steps into the strange Rift-like fog that surrounded her. Smokey clouds billowed over her head and a quicksilver mist disrupted her long-distance view of the never-ending horizon. The silvery floor rippled under her boots like ethereal water. As she walked, the sight of the floor rippling beneath her always left her feeling a little dizzy. Nier trailed behind her maintaining a few steps distance as she led the way. She knew better than to run in any one direction for an extended duration; it did not matter how far she ran – every step led back to the _throne_.

Savan's words grew even heavier as time passed. For the first time since receiving the mantle of "Seneschal", she felt that she was beginning to understand the gravity of 'eternity', the meaning of it: stretching endlessly before her without any clear terminus.

"Arisen… perhaps I could massage your shoulders or brush your hair to cheer you up?" Nier offered as they walked.

"Thank you, Nier," The Arisen smiled softly, "I appreciate your offer but I'm just feeling out of sorts today."

"Oh… I see."

"I will be better in the morning."

"Very well."

The morning came and the sense of melancholy remained.

The Arisen had known that it would, she realised that her days of roaming and having a direct hold on her future were over. Now she was the one guiding everything else in the world below her. She was led by nothing save for her own moral code and her overarching sense of 'duty' to the creatures of Gransys. That was what was keeping her 'alive'.

Nier attempted a smile when she looked at him, "Good morning, Arisen."

"Good morning Nier."

"Did you rest well?"

"Yes…" It was a lie.

"Very good." Nier was incapable of picking up 'tone' unless it was directly put to him, so the mild flatness in her voice was lost on him.

For a while she watched Nier and wondered what it must feel like to be a pawn. He was not disturbed or embarrassed by her stares. He simply continued to offer her his shade of a smile and the occasional vocal observation;

"T'will be morning in Gransys."

"Indeed."

"Will you be travelling there?"

"… No," The Arisen looked around and pulled the Godsbane Blade from her hip, "I'd rather try something else…"

"Something else?"

"Yes." She thumbed the edge of the blade and swiftly pulled her hand away as it nicked her, blood pooled in a neat line across the blade's edge. She watched the spread of crimson and dully noted that there was now a golden iridescence to her blood, same as Savan. She recoiled in disgust, hating that little nuance.

"I would ill advise you to hurt yourself, Master, t'would be unfortunate if you were to die."

"Unfortunate…" _How very… 'pawn-like'_ she thought to herself. She felt 'stung' by his words; by the fact that it would be a mere expression of 'misfortune' rather than a devastating loss, or even _saddening_. She would have settled for saddening.

Their conversation ended abruptly and the Arisen turned her attentions to the world around her; the endless grey of dark matter. It was dull and uninspiring despite being the font of all creation, a 'blank canvas' for her to work as she saw fit. It swirled broodingly overhead and enfolded her like a dark cloak. She felt chained to the void, akin to a prisoner.

She had spent the previous night dwelling on her situation and with her musings came a strong sense of revulsion. As she tried to dismiss the unpleasant emotions, an inspiration had manifested within and it refused to release its hold on her. That single thought had persisted in her mind the following morning. It drove her steps forward as she approached her throne. Determination and hope bubbled up inside of her with each step. Her heart pounded in her chest in raw excitement as she clutched at the Godsbane Blade with sweaty palms.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHHHHH!"

With a shout, formed of several conflicting emotions, she drove the Godsbane Blade deeply into the imposing lump of stone. The blade bit deeply into the seat, sinking down to its hilt.

Nier watched on quietly, he made no comment or took any immediate action in response to the sudden deed. Eventually, after a long pause, his voice broke the heavy silence, "Are you alright, master?"

"No," was the breathless reply, "I'm not alright, Nier."

"Oh. Then… what can I do to help?"

"Nothing."

"… Nothing?"

"Nothing…"

The pawn was silenced. The Arisen, feeling slightly guilty at her inability to talk to Nier, closed her eyes and stole a moment of peace. Her head cleared of all thoughts and feelings. She clutched around the hilt of the blade, she could feel her nails biting into her palm as she clung to it too tightly. Time seemed to slow to an unbearable crawl and a sense of blankness consumed her; she had no idea of what to do with herself. She felt foolish for her outburst, like a child having a tantrum. Savan had coped with 'eternity' for an age longer than she had. Had he felt the same way? A youth, barely a man, suddenly forced in to the role of 'keeper' to the world. Did he accept it with maturity? Or did he lash out as she had done?

If only she could ask him; there were many questions she would have asked him, if he were to offer his wisdom now. She bit her lip and shook her head in an attempt to quash the melancholy that had gripped her. She was fully aware that her situation was caused by none other than herself. She had 'willed' this, she had fought for this and she had killed for this moment. She resolved inside herself that she should face eternity with dignity and acceptance. This was her choice and she should, and would, honour it.

Her hand relaxed around the hilt of the Godsbane Blade and she straightened herself up to stand before the throne. She turned to look at Nier, about to speak, to apologise, when she was cut off by a strange sound; the chair began to groan as the sharp sound of splitting rock filled the silence, a river of cracks spread across its surface and suddenly, it shattered into several pieces which clattered across the floor at the Arisen's feet.

She looked at the fragments in dumbfounded silence before crouching down to inspect the shards intently. Her eyes widened as they started to melt into a sickly and dark liquid. The black water spread over the silvery floor and stained it with a darkness that was black as night, yet edged with ethereal luminosity.

It spread like an aggressive virus and within moments she was surrounded. The Arisen looked down at her feet and quickly realised that she was slipping downwards. With a yelp she reached out for something to hold on to but her chamber was empty and the blackness was all she could see, bleeding out all around her.

"Master!" A hand suddenly shot out towards her and she gripped it; Nier was pulling with all his might but it was a vain effort as the blackness spread under his feet and pulled him down with her.

Master and pawn were consumed, drowned in the murky depths of the chair's black blood. The Arisen struggled against the heavy waters as they washed over her face. It became clear that she could not resist it any longer, unconsciousness claimed her. She could faintly hear Nier's voice as she slipped away;

"Master… wh… is… hap..ening..?"

Then all was swathed in silence...

* * *

Phew. This has been sitting on my computer since last year, I started it a while back but have spent a long time fussing over it. So far there are 3 chapters completed with a 4th on the way!

In Chapter 2 a familiar face joins the Arisen and a new 'quest' begins...


	2. Chapter 2

_Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer_

By: Ser Savan

_Dedicated to all of the Dragon's Dogma folk on Tumblr, well met friends!_

* * *

**Note**: _Take care you aren't soaked in spoilers! (_There may be occasional spoilers)

**Outline**: This story follows on from the 'true' conclusion to Dragon's Dogma but just before the Godsbane Blade incident. This is a continuation of the life of the Arisen once the mantle of 'Seneschal' has been accepted.

**Notes**: I will be referring to the main character as the "Arisen", despite the compelling arguments for a named character or a more apt title I think this is the one that suits the 'Arisen' character best. The Arisen is a female sorcerer and her Pawn is a male ranger called Nier, there may be class changes in the future. Also, this was actually started before Dark Arisen was released, therefore, the expansion has not been factored in to the Arisen's journey.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Beautiful Lies**

She knew she was dreaming, there was no other explanation for the warm sunlight on her skin, the roar of the ocean in her ears, the smell of salt tickling at her nose. It was all a lie, or at least a fond memory. She was aware that she should smell nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing. Her thoughts drifted back to life in Cassadis; she recalled a simple happiness, albeit a boring one. There had been a blissful ignorance in life there and an appreciable simplicity. Gran Soren had been a place of 'legend' to her and yet she had, without realising it, become a legend herself. It was a role she never hungered for beyond the occasional day dream, yet she had pursued that path regardless. Dwelling upon her circumstances generated a single question; _why_? Why had she pursued the Dragon? Why had she fought so hard and furiously?

"You hunted the dragon because you felt incomplete, rather, you were incomplete. What is a human, after all, without a heart? Without that beating tether to mortality, is a human truly 'alive'?"

A voice filled her head and invaded her thoughts; it was a voice that resonated within her, but was not her own. She knew that voice well, a voice that she had dwelled on for a while, a voice that she had wanted to hear, a voice that made her very being jolt with shock. That voice belonged to only one man!

Her eyes flew open and she sat up "Savan?!"

"There is no need to shout, Arisen. I am here."

True to his word, the young man in his surcoat, impressive greaves and faded red mantle was stood over her. His blue eyes bore an unreadable expression as she stared back at him.

"Sorry… I…" she was suddenly consumed with a variety of questions, "What's going on? Where am I? Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be dead? Where's Nier?"

Nier. Instantly she looked around for sign of her pawn and, in doing so, took in her immediate surroundings. She was sat on a beach, not just any beach; these were the shores of Cassadis. The sand beneath her hands was grainy and _real_. The salt was pungent, heavy, in the air. The sea roared familiarly in her ears as it rolled back and forth before her eyes. _This was Cassadis_.

"Hold a moment," Savan sighed, with exasperation one might lavish on an excitable child, "Have you naught but impulsiveness? I suppose that much is clear by virtue of your being here in this damned place," he laughed, more to himself than to her, "Still… It ne'er occurred to me to attack that damnable throne. Not once."

"Oh… The throne," previous events flooded back to her, "Yes… I stabbed it with the Godsbane Blade…"

"You did, indeed, and in doing so you have escaped from the centre of our world." he held a gauntlet swathed hand out to her.

She accepted it and was pulled up on to her feet, "I felt trapped. I don't even know why I attacked it other than I thought that the throne was like a chain around my neck, no matter where I ran in that hall I always came back to it…"

"It is, aye," he nodded, "The stony cage that holds all Stewards of the World prisoner and demands nothing but absolute servitude. When the Seneschal before me died, he looked so blissfully pleased with his 'death'… it was something which I failed to understand until I had been chained to that very seat."

"… Yes… yes it is!" She felt a strong sense of kinship with Savan as he spoke. She understood what he was saying, she understood the meaning of his words and he understood hers in turn. They had shared in the life sentence that was the office of the Seneschal, but something felt surreal about the entire conversation, "Um… are we 'free' now?" it seemed like a simple question, however, Savan's expression told her the answer was anything but.

"Nay. T'would seem either I was deceived or I was mistaken… There is no 'true death', or, I have not found it yet, at least… And, from what little I've pieced together, such a 'death' is not what I hoped it would be…"

Once more she felt like she understood nothing "… What?"

He offered her a reassuring smile, "When I became Seneschal, the man I killed indicated that he was going to be 'free' from the worldly order… that he was going to 'die'. I assumed that this was how the cycle worked: The Arisen is born, the Dragon is slain, the Seneschal changes hands and the former Seneschal is granted the ultimate gift for their loyalty, complete and 'true' death."

"Right… so, that's not it?"

"No. T'would seem we are all deceived," he folded his arms and tapped a finger against the elbow of one of his gauntlets, "Or at the least we misunderstood the machinations of these many worlds and the higher denizens that rule them."

"Higher…? There are creatures above the Seneschal?" she knew her eyes were wide as her brow pushed upwards. Of course it made sense for there to be some sort of 'overseer' or 'main Seneschal', but she had considered that each world was a 'bubble' in itself with the Seneschal as 'ruler'. The only thing, she thought, that might connect the many 'world bubbles' was the Rift and, therefore, the pawns.

"Aye. Something beyond my ken controls this place.. this… odd world as it now appears. When I arrived here it looked like Viete, my hometown… Now, suddenly, 'tis your home. This place is as much a lie as the 'true' death I mentioned. 'Tis an illusion and I've yet to meet the illusionist. So far, I have found no way to break the illusion…-"

"Then let's search together!" She strode across the sand towards the town "There must be something we can do…"

"My. How suddenly determined you've become… Well, I suppose you're still 'young', Milady."

She looked back at Savan and saw him giving her a semblance of a grin; he seemed truly bemused by the sudden burst of enthusiasm. She, herself, was surprised at her sudden zeal. What had changed to rouse her to arms? A short while ago she was keen to 'escape' her duties and find peace. She returned his smile and offered the only explanation she could think of, "I suppose I cannot help but enjoy uncovering the unknown?" It seemed as good a reason as any.

"'Tis a fair enough desire, Milady, and one I share… Very well, mayhaps on the way we might locate our Pawns."

"Oh yes! … Nier." Guilt flashed through her, she had forgotten for a brief moment that he was missing. She walked forward with even more determination as two immediate tasks burned in her mind; find Nier and shatter this 'illusion' that Savan had spoken of.

The town was faithfully recreated around her to such an extent that she believed she truly was back in Cassadis. It was a welcomed feeling to be in the midst of the town, to smell the fresh produce and the sea near by. Following her ascension to the office of Seneschal, she had only been able to engage with the world as an ethereal 'ghost'. However, even the faithful illusion was filled with errors and the most glaring one was that the town was devoid of life. Not a single soul, save for Savan and herself, walked the simple streets. She pushed a few doors open and found homes vacant, and well maintained, but devoid of residents. The town itself seemed to have been pulled straight from her memories. However, without the people, who had given those memories colour and life, the comforting feeling of being 'home' drained away and was displaced by a cold tension.

_What was the purpose of this recreation?_ Savan had indicated that until she arrived it had been like his hometown. _Why did this place change? Based on what? Who was the master illusionist_?

The Arisen suspected that she would at least have the answer to her very last question if either of them were ever going to escape this place. As she searched the houses her mind started to adjust to that of the adventurer she had been previously. She searched methodically for things that would be useful; curatives, food, a lantern, oil and, most importantly, weapons. Holding a staff in hand instantly calmed her edginess and filled her with a nostalgic feeling.

"What is this place?" Savan entered and looked around at the array of items.

"Well, it used to be the local shop…" she murmured, "But without a shop keeper, or customers, I guess it's just stuff."

Savan picked up a sword and ran his hand along the blade, as if testing it, he then picked up a shield and patted it to see how durable it was, "These seem solid enough. I've a feeling that we'll need them…" He also took a lantern and a few basic supplies.

"Funny… I feel the same."

They left the store with a modest selection of the wares and stood in silence for a few moments. The Arisen looked at Savan, she still had many questions she wanted to ask him but it seemed like this wasn't the best time to ask them. He glanced at her and chuckled.

"You seem like you're dying to question me…"

"Oh? You could tell?"

"Aye. You're quite the easy read, Arisen… I see that same curious glint in your eye that you held after our battle."

"I Um… I do have questions, yes, but… I figure now is not the time."

"Perhaps you've the right of it. Let's focus on the task at hand. Right now the biggest question is 'where to look'?" he scanned the town.

She bit her lip and searched for any oddities in the landscape, "Perhaps we should start at the chapel and work our way down?"

"As good an idea as any… let's go," He turned away from her and started to walk up the hill towards the chapel, "So, tell me, how did you find life as Seneschal?"

"Hard," It was an honest answer, "Harder than I thought possible. Shortly after I 'freed' you, I was filled with questions I should have asked… Eternity is truly wearing …"

"Aye, 'tis a difficult mantle that all Seneschal bear, a heavy and unappreciated one. It took me a long while to understand what my predecessor meant when he said he 'hated' the never ending madness of playing caretaker…"

"Oh… What was your predecessor like?"

"He never once took those robes off… those golden robes that I initially disguised myself in. Aye… he never once revealed his face to me. Said it was as irrelevant as the cycle itself. Anyway, he was a bitter man, filled with disdain towards all living things and yet so duty bound to his role that he continued pressing on. Like most creatures, he did what he 'had' to do, not what he'd of 'liked' to do… At the time I thought him bitter, selfish, depraved. He spoke of humans as nothing more than baby 'chicks', constantly chirping for more and more and more… Now… Mayhap I understand him just a little better…"

"…" She looked at Savan's back, watching as his mantle swayed back and forth with every step. She was unsure how to answer, she still believed in helping others but she also understood some of the feelings Savan was conveying.

"… I never hated humans, nay… I wanted to rule them fairly. I wanted to rule all things fairly, I thought it was the 'proper' and 'right' thing for me to do. However, after the many ages of overseeing I started to dislike everything just that little bit more than I wanted to. I think all things are fickle, a contest between love and hate, but … to start to wish ill for no reason? I knew then that I was becoming like him. That I had to stop myself from becoming a monster…"

"How long were you Seneschal?"

He stopped walking and looked up to the sky, as if he were trying to recall a long-forgotten memory, "Hmm… how long..?" he shook his head and chuckled, "I would say at least 2'000 years? Probably closer to 3'000?"

"Whaat?!" she spluttered "Three… thousand…?"

"I believe so, although, decades blend into one another, then centuries follow suit, in the end it is all meaningless time…" he shrugged, "'Tis done with. I don't like to dwell on the past too much…"

She noticed something painful in his eyes, a slight wince, and instinctively she wanted to know what had occurred in his past that made him shun it "I see…"

"You'll not get that answer out of me, Milady." His tone echoed a sneer as he gave her a chilled glance.

"I… won't ask, then."

He nodded and began to walk away, indicating that their discussion was now over. They spoke little during the ascent up the light slope towards the chapel and as they climbed the flight of primitively carved stairs. Finally, they looked up at the holy house as they stood before it in silence.

Neither seemed keen to open the doors of the unassuming building, silently convinced that some great evil lurked within and would be unleashed if they did open the doors. The Arisen bit her lip and looked around the landscape that surrounded the chapel as she searched for any oddities. Nothing looked out of the ordinary; the same old gravestones, familiar knotty weeds, even the grass remained as unkempt as ever.

Once again, she was taken up with rash impulse and stepped forward, grabbing one of the door handles, with a grunt she yanked it open. The doors slowly followed her command and parted with a groan, both peered within. They were greeted by a perfectly normal chapel interior; an altar at the front, a small line of pews, and a font for washing hands and feet near the entrance. The Arisen took a few steps forward and breathed in the musky incensed air of the holy space. Then, she started to laugh. Savan tilted his head quizzically but her laughter was infectious and soon he was joining in her mirth.

"… I got so worked up," she giggled, "but it's just the same old church I remember…"

"I must admit, my heart was pounding for a while there. I expected something, a goblin or a large rat, at least."

"Me too!"

They left the chapel and looked back down the path they had travelled. Savan moved to head back down toward the town when the Arisen gripped his cloaked shoulder and stopped him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"… There." She pointed across the graveyard towards another door, a door that was slightly ajar.

"Hm?" Savan failed to see anything of note, "What of it? 'Tis just a door?"

"No.. it's wrong." She whispered, "That door is never ajar…"

"Never?"

"Never." There was a sense of finality in her tone that would not be contested.

"I see," Savan turned fully to face the door, "Then we have another lead." He started to walk towards it.

"Yeah." She followed after him, "It seems we do..."

* * *

Perhaps my username and my Tumblr give it away but... I'm a fan of Savan. Hence his inclusion in the story!

Chapter 3 will be along soon and with it will come a terrible battle against a foe that has been long extinct in the lands of Gransys...


	3. Chapter 3

_Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer_

By: Ser Savan

_Dedicated to all of the Dragon's Dogma folk on Tumblr, well met friends!_

* * *

**Note**: _Take care you aren't soaked in spoilers! (_There may be occasional spoilers)

**Outline**: This story follows on from the 'true' conclusion to Dragon's Dogma but just before the Godsbane Blade incident. This is a continuation of the life of the Arisen once the mantle of 'Seneschal' has been accepted.

**Notes**: This chapter contains the first "major" battle (one of many, as you would expect from a fanfic about Dragon's Dogma). Those readers that love music might like to listen to "To the End of a Life and Death Struggle" (aka: That song that plays when you finally topple a Cyclops or Chimera) when you read the scene, purely for amusement purposes.

As ever; Arisen is a female sorcerer, her pawn is a male ranger and the Dark Arisen expansion has not been factored in to the journey as this story was started prior to its release. There may be class changes later, but not for Savan. Never for Savan.

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Beastly Grotto **

Savan gripped the rusted handle of the door and pulled, it swung open whilst the Arisen drew her staff. Mist seeped out of the gloom and a damp, earthy smell clashed with the salt of the sea. The Arisen stepped forward and prepared her lantern, the rusty orange glow offered enough illumination for her to see a flight of stairs. The claustrophobic staircase seemed to burrow down into the very depths of the earth. Its final destination was masked by inky blackness, which suggested to her that it was a long way down.

They exchanged a shared glance of hesitation and started to descend.

Savan stepped forward, after attaching his lantern to his belt, and began the descent into the darkness. The stairwell was cramped, barely above the height of a child, which forced them to keep their heads bowed at all times. The ceiling was initially stone but as they persisted deeper it became tightly packed soil with unknown roots and rocks poking out of it. The stone stairs echoed with each footstep creating a heartbeat-like rhythm, and with each _thud_ they waited for something else to respond.

"… I wonder how much further…" The Arisen whispered.

"It can't be far," Savan replied and held his lantern out in front of him, the light showed no signs of the staircase stopping, "… Or perhaps it can."

After what felt like an age, Savan took the final step and turned to the Arisen as she followed. They were still underground, but in a hollowed out tunnel of dark brown earth. The scent of damp soil had grown even stronger, to the point of being suffocating, and the strange mist that had gushed out when they first opened the door, now snaked its chilled tendrils around their ankles.

Savan peered ahead along the tunnel and then shook his head, "There's nothing particularly noteworthy…"

"Let's go forward a little, then. We took the time to come down here, it's worth exploring."

They started to walk down the tunnel; soil squelched under their greaves and caked the ends of their cloaks in mud, despite the uncomfortable conditions they pressed on at a brisk pace as an ever-mounting shared sense of anticipation gripped them. Their footsteps started to pick up momentum when the air came alive with distant sounds; the unmistakeable clashing of blades on flesh and the hisses of something inhuman.

"A battle!" Savan looked at the Arisen and inclined with his head, "Let's go!" She nodded and they began to sprint.

The sounds grew louder and louder until the corridor opened out to form a vast underground chamber. Inside the chamber was an immense lion-like creature, at first glance an adventurer could be forgiven for mistaking it for a Chimera but a moments inspection proved otherwise. The beast bore a face somewhere between human and animal, with a mane of shaggy sandy fur and a large feline body. Tucked at its sides were a pair of jet black bat-like wings and coiling around in vicious circles at its rump was a barbed stinger-like tail that dripped a hazardous-looking liquid.

"What is… ah!" The Arisen was about to ask what the hideous monster was when she saw that her pawn, Nier, was fighting it "Nier!".

"Salde!" Savan had noticed his own pawn, who was also engaged in the struggle beside Nier.

Both pawns turned at the sound of familiar voices and called back, in unison, "Master!"

The beast let out a thunderous roar as it spied the two new intruders. Its forelegs dug into the soil and, with a powerful push, it dragged itself forward towards the Arisen and Savan. It took an instant for it to reach them; its wings outstretched and its tail looming ominously overhead. Both pawns were shouting out a variety of warnings to their masters, but in the chaotic din of battle it was nearly impossible to hear them.

"'Tis a Manticore…" Savan grunted as he blocked a savage claw strike with his shield.

"Manticore?" The Arisen had never heard of such a beast.

"They were legends when I was a lad… To see a living one is more than a shock…" he pushed with his shield and drove the beast back a few inches. A growl rippled out of the Manticore's twisted muzzle as it backed up. It began to pace and observe its prey, clearly contemplating its next attack. Luminous golden eyes were fixated on Savan and his shield as if the beast were waiting for an opening. Savan remained calm and unmoved by the intense stares. His blade was poised to strike if the chance presented itself.

"Did your legends tell you what Manticores do and don't like?" The Arisen whispered as she watched the creature and clutched her staff.

"Mostly being turned to stone… The legends say they'll turn to stone if they see themselves in a mirror or see a fellow Manticore but… we have no mirrors and no other Manticores so I suppose we'll have to find another way…"

"Alright. Let's start with that ghastly looking tail then? It's my preferred method of dealing with Chimera's and this thing looks as though it might be a relative..."

"'Tis as good an idea as any…" Savan motioned to Salde, "Salde! To arms!"

They flanked the creature from both sides; Salde and Nier ran over with swords and daggers in hand whilst Savan lashed out with his blade and sliced across the base of the thick, plated tail. At the same time Salde and Nier struck the tail with their weapons and the combined effort caused the appendage to fly off with a wet splat. Black slime-like fluid oozed from the stinger at the end and thick blood overflowed from the dismembered stump. The Manticore reared up, emitting a mighty straggled hiss, and started to jump in confused circles with its wings flapping wildly. Salde and Nier were knocked to the ground by the wild wingbeats whilst Savan dodged around the creature to join the pawns. Suddenly, it twirled to face the party and glared at them with furious golden eyes.

"Seems to be angry Master!" Salde shouted as he picked himself up off the soggy floor.

"Indeed it does, Salde!"

"What should we do now?!" Nier shouted as the creature drove itself between them and forced the four to scatter to the corners of the cavern.

The Arisen looked around the room for ideas; there were several stony pillars and platforms that would offer the party the benefit of height, but surely the beast would be able to reach them with ease using its wings. The cavern ceiling, she noticed, was incredibly high, at least as tall as three Cyclops's, which left them vulnerable to aerial attacks. "Let's aim for the wings!" she called.

Nier grabbed his bow, nocked several arrows along the string, and started firing at the leathery appendages. The Manticore grumbled in annoyance at the barrage and began to dance around the makeshift arena in wild circles in an attempt to shake the arrows off of its hide.

"Savan! The wings!" The Arisen called as she climbed to a higher vantage and readied a fire spell.

"We'll cut them off!" he shouted back and charged forward with his blade, Salde followed his master's lead.

The Manticore was surrounded by Salde and Savan on one side and Nier on the other; they hacked at the base of each wing. The beast twisted away from them and lunged with its sharp claws, dragging them against Savan's shield and easily ripping the metal surface.

The Arisen shouted out the end of an incantation and summoned a roaring wall of flames. The flames burned bright crimson and spread over the Manticore's fur and mane. The party watched intently, hoping this would be the killing blow, but the beast emitted a thunderous roar and glared down at its prey with bright red eyes.

"F-Fire seems to spur it on?!" Nier uttered in dismay as he threw himself away from a burning claw strike.

"Damn…" The Arisen bit her lip "Note to self; no more fire on Manticores…"

"Perhaps ice?" Salde suggested as he blocked a strike on Nier's behalf.

The Arisen focused again and summoned several pillars of ice to strike under the beast's belly. However, it seemed unperturbed by the onslaught. "Resilient to ice too…"

The Manticore began to beat its wings and took to the vaulted roof of the cavern. The flames that had surrounded its body were extinguished by the great gusts of each wing beat. It looked down, eyes fixated on its attackers, and let out a low growl of discontent.

"… KILLLLLLLLL!" It cried out a single, strangled word as it dived down on top of the Arisen. The pillars, that the Arisen had been stood upon, started to give way as the immense creature's weight bore down on them.

"Master!" Nier charged forward, through a cloud of dust, towards the crumbling mess of pillars, Salde and Savan followed after him.

The Arisen could feel the Manticore's paws digging in to her shoulders, its claws bit her skin through the simple robes she wore and its foul breath blasted her in the face, the stench of rotting meat was almost overwhelming. The dust from the crumbling pillars was swept away by its flapping wings and she could see two sickly golden eyes fixated on her. It pulled its head back showing her a mouthful of jagged, yellowing teeth, and drove its muzzle forward towards her neck.

"MASTER!" A voice echoed through the cavern and she saw Nier standing over her. He dragged his daggers across the Manticore's eyes and then drove the blades into its forehead. The creature let out a furious whining hiss and leapt away from both the pawn and his master. It patted at its bleeding eyes with its paws and shook its shaggy head. Salde leapt on to its back and started to hack frantically at one of the wings, Savan followed suit and slashed at the other wing.

Nier pulled the Arisen up and whispered "Are you alright, Master?"

"Y-Yes.. I'm fine… Thank you..."

"I'm relieved." he attempted a smile.

The wet sound of blades slicing through sinew and bone caught their attention, followed swiftly by another strangled howl from the Manticore's maw. Salde tossed the large black wing away and moments later Savan cleaved off, and discarded, the other appendage.

"'Tis just a common lion now!" the pawn declared proudly as the Manticore toppled to its side and writhed in agony.

"Come, Arisen, finish it!" Savan shouted up at her.

"Right!" The Arisen, and Nier, ran forward towards the scene of mayhem; Nier slashed with his daggers and cleaved at the Manticore's belly, whilst he Arisen readied another spell. This time she summoned forth the little earth magic she knew and caused great spines of stone to erupt from the earth. Each spine stabbed through the Manticore, striking at its hind legs, belly with a final spine passing right through the creature's head. The moment the stone pierced its skull the creature tensed up and its roaring fell silent, it then slumped forward no longer thrashing.

"I.. think we did it." Nier wiped his brow "T'would appear that Manticore's are vulnerable to earth magicks…"

"That might be useful to know. Who knows how many more there might be down here. Although," Savan sheathed his blade and crouched before the monster, "I ne'er thought I'd see a Manticore in the flesh…. 'Tis quite the terrifying beast…"

"Master… I'm glad I found you." Salde said as he bowed to Savan.

"My thanks, Salde. Can you tell me what happened?"

The pawns explained everything to their masters; Salde had been trapped underground when the landscape changed from Viete to Cassadis; he had started to wander in hopes of finding his master whilst Nier had found the staircase and hoped to find the Arisen by searching it. In the end they found one another and then, suddenly, the Manticore pounced on them.

"I see." Savan folded his arms and looked pensively at the rapidly rotting monster "I wonder what else this cavern holds? A way out of this illusion, perhaps?"

"I hope so… Besides… we can't go back the way we came." The Arisen pointed at the corridor they had entered by which was now blocked by fallen pillars.

Savan followed her line of vision and sighed, "Let's hope there's another exit, then…" They searched the perimeter of the cavern and found another corridor, filled with mist and mud. The party of four followed the corridor onwards and at each turn they expected another Manticore, or something else equally dangerous.

"Master… up ahead, I see something…"

"What is it, Salde?"

"It looks like an exit. I can see light…"

"Thank the sky." Savan muttered as the group picked up their pace towards the patchy light source. They arrived at a cave-in of large stones which blocked what they assumed to be an exit.

"'Tis a dead end…" Nier said, with the appropriate level of exasperation in his tone, "The rocks seem tightly packed, how are we going to clear them?"

"A spell perhaps?" Savan looked over at the Arisen.

"A spell huh.. I wish I had one that simply makes rocks disappear... best I can manage is to cause an explosion… Well! Might not hurt to give it a try," She lifted her staff and quirked an eyebrow as the rest of her party ran halfway back up the corridor, "… um, excuse me?"

"Well, we wouldn't want to be in your way." Savan called.

"… Right." The Arisen sighed and fired three fireballs at the cluster of rocks.

There was a thunderous explosion and a flash of vermillion as the fire magic struck the stones. Fragments flew through the air and smoke swept along the length of the corridor, causing the party to dissolve into a fit of coughs and splutters. Finally, once the dust had settled, they were faced with a gaping exit.

"It looks like… a woodland?" Nier said, stating the obvious.

Salde looked at Savan, "'Tis a woodland, master!"

"Yes, thank you Salde, I believe we have established that much. Not any woodland I know… Arisen, might they be familiar to you?"

"No." she replied, as excitement bubbled in her stomach, "This place is not familiar to me either."

They gazed out at the verdant greenery around them, a welcomed relief and contrast to the gloom and monotony of the caverns behind them. The trees were densely packed together, causing patchy fragments of sunlight to dance across the floor, and there were several bushes of varying genus's. A fresh leafy scent blew away the stagnant stench of soil and everyone fell silent to take in a deep breath.

The Arisen was first to step out of the cavern, she reached out her hand and touched the bark of one of the trees. It felt rough and firm, as she would expect bark to feel. Her gaze lifted upwards and she looked at the leaves of the tree. She noticed that some trees wore leaves that appeared almost glassy; these particular leaves were tinted a bottle-green shade and were completely see-through.

"These trees look strange to m-" She had been unable to finish her sentence as Nier grabbed her and pulled her away from the tree she had been inspecting.

There was a flurry of activity and the party found themselves plunged in to the midst of absolute chaos…

* * *

And so, Chapter 3 comes to an abrupt end!

Chapter 4 will be along, but not as quickly as these past few chapters. As I've mentioned before; this story has been in the writing for quite a while and the first three chapters were already written when I decided to start uploading.

Feel free to leave me feedback and comments on here, or via my Tumblr blog, I do read every comment and I'm always thrilled to hear when someone has taken the time to read my rambles!

See you all in Chapter 4; "The Riftwoods"!


	4. Chapter 4

_Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer_

By: Ser Savan

_Dedicated to all of the Dragon's Dogma folk on Tumblr, well met friends!_

* * *

**Note**: _Take care you aren't soaked in spoilers! (_There may be occasional spoilers)

**Outline**: This story follows on from the 'true' conclusion to Dragon's Dogma but just before the Godsbane Blade incident. This is a continuation of the life of the Arisen once the mantle of 'Seneschal' has been accepted.

**Notes**: As ever; Arisen is a female sorcerer, her pawn is a male ranger and the Dark Arisen expansion has not been factored in to the journey as this story was started prior to its release. There may be class changes later for the Arisen and Nier, I'll make sure to clearly flag those changes in the notes.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Riftwoods and beyond  
**

"M-Master!" Nier shouted as the group were suddenly drowned in a swarm of trees and leaves, "T-The trees!"

"They're alive!" Salde cried out as he lopped off branches and foliage with his sword in a frantic struggle against the relentless onslaught.

"They're… alive…" the Arisen repeated as she tried to take stock of the situation; the trees were very much alive. Their barks bore a slight growth, which almost seemed head-like and on the growth was a gaping maw with a two holes above it that almost resembled eyes. The trees loomed over the group with gnarled arm-like branches, which they swung in large swiping arch's. There were several, she counted at least 10, and they swarmed around the party with relentless, frantic hostility. She noticed that only the trees with luminous, translucent green leaves were capable of movement, the majority of the forest remained silent.

"Treants?!" Savan uttered, before a particularly bulbous tree swung a thick branch into his stomach. The former Seneshcal emitted a deep grunt of pain as he skidded across the grassy floor and stopped at the Arisen's feet.

She pulled him up "Treants? You mean these really are a type of monster? I thought that they might be some sort of sorcerer's enchantment or cursed or some such…"

"Aye…" Savan took a few moments to catch his breath, "They're a form of 'living tree' and rumoured to be very protective of the woodlands that they inhabit. In my time there had been a massive cull of such creatures as their kind were increasing in population and attacking human settlements. This was just afore my birth, so they were almost extinct when I was a lad."

"Need I ask their weakness?"

He grinned at her, "Fire."

"Alright. I guess I'll grant you fire's blaze, then." She enchanted his sword with a swirl of fire magic, the blade glowed with amber brilliance as though fresh from the forge. She went on to enchant Nier's daggers, and arrows, along with Salde's sword. The group then charged into the cluster of enraged trees and started to fight back whilst the Arisen provided support with fireballs, and enchantments, from a distance.

Nier leapt gracefully into one of the trees and ran along its branches to attack it from overhead. The Treant desperately tried to reach up and claw at Nier with its branch-like arms, but he was too nimble for the clumsy beast to make a firm purchase on. Each swing of his daggers created bright, flaming wounds on the tree's bark.

Savan dashed forward and lodged his blade directly into the trunk of the bulbous tree that had assaulted him earlier. He twisted the hilt and drove his sword as deeply in to the tree's body as he was able to. The creature made a strangled scream-like whine and tried to push Savan away. With a low growl of effort Savan pushed forward, against the opposing force, and managed to knock the tree over on to the forest floor. Initially the creature seemed to be confused by its new position before it started to roll and rock around in a failed attempt to pull itself back upright. "'Twould seem these creatures have a poor footing!" Savan shouted as he struck at the vulnerable tree, "It leaves them wide open to attack!"

"I'll knock this one over!" Salde called and drove his shoulder into one of the more slender Treants and effortlessly knocked it over. The tree appeared visibly distressed as it rocked back and forth on the floor in a similar attempt to the other fallen tree.

Nier observed the strategies that Salde and Savan employed and quickly followed suit by swinging from one tree and throwing his body weight against another. The tree toppled to the floor with a whimper and tried to slap Nier away, unsuccessfully, with flailing branches. The Arisen took the opportunity to re-enchant weapons and ready a great flaming wall of fire to strike at the line of rocking trees. Flames quickly spread along the floor and consumed the fallen creatures.

The monsters recoiled as their leaves melted away and their timber bodies became consumed by remorseless fire. They emitted strange sounds, warped and distorted groans, akin to crying children, as they writhed on the floor in a futile attempt to extinguish themselves. Their efforts amounted to nothing and soon the Treants were reduced to silvery ashes. Once the din of battle had ceased, the forest fell silent and the group were able to catch their breath and gather their thoughts. The thunderous silence was eventually softened by melodic birdsong.

"I'll be glad if that sort of attack never happens again." Nier whispered as he scooped up a handful of the Treant's ashen remains and allowed them to flutter through his fingertips. Salde, obviously curious of the ashes, joined the ranger in the act of scooping and sifting.

"Stop that you two," Savan sheathed his sword and looked ahead, "There only seems to be one path, right now. Shall we follow it?"

"The path is safest." Nier chimed cheerfully, having moved away from the ashes as told.

"I agree, Master. Let us follow the path!" Salde was much more capable of smiling than Nier, having clearly gained more experience in performing the gesture.

"Alright. Any objections, Milady?"

"None at all."

"Very good."

They walked along the verdant path to the rhythmic din of leaves crunching underfoot. Initially the party jumped every time a tree swayed in the breeze, thinking it to be another Treant mob, but their trek was uneventful for at least a solid hour. The Arisen walked alongside Nier, whilst Savan walked with Salde. At last she had time to reflect and found that she was surprised at how bereft she had felt without Nier by her side, she almost felt as though she had lost the ability to walk properly without him there. Despite the occasional communicational gap between her, as a human, and him, as a pawn, she had come to rely on his presence a great deal and found it to be something of a comfort to know he was there.

"Is something amiss, Master?"

She realised Nier was looking at her, "No… no… I'm just," she offered him a bright smile, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Oh…" he nodded, "Thank you, master. 'Tis welcomed relief to this pawn to see you safe, too."

The dense undergrowth of strangely glowing trees, unusual flowers and vines started to thin as they marched onwards. Eventually they stepped out of the woodlands and found themselves stood in a strangely familiar field. The Arisen looked around and thought that the expansive field of grass deeply resembled the Estan Plains, in the heart of Gransys. However, these plains were devoid of the castle ruins, oxen and goblins that should have peppered the scenery, also, there was nothing akin to Gran Soren in sight. Mountains hugged the distant landscape in a tight semi-circle and behind them was a vast and seemingly unending sea with no distinguishable landmarks beyond it. The pawns looked around with the same silent awe that took hold of them whenever they beheld a new sight. Salde seemed eager to go and look around, presumably to scout ahead for any potential threats to his master, whilst Nier maintained a reasonable closeness to his own master.

For a while nobody uttered a single word. It was Savan who eventually broke the silence, "Just what is this? 'Tis almost a mockery of the landscape where Gran Soren should sit…" he sighed to himself and looked at the sea.

The Arisen took a few steps forward, towards the distant mountain range, and looked around "Well… it seems to me to be—Griffin!"

"Griffin? I don't recall such a pla-" Savan was cut off as something sharp curled around his shoulders and lifted him upwards into the clouds. It took mere moments for everyone to realise that he had been caught in a Griffin's front talons.

"Master!" Salde was running at full speed after the Griffin, the Arisen and Nier followed after him.

"Nier! Shoot it down!" The Arisen ordered as she enchanted his quiver.

Nier fired a spray of arrows, but none of them managed to reach the beast's wings as it soared over the sea and promptly dropped Savan into the brooding depths. Salde ran to the edge of the land and screamed "MASSSTERRRR!" he then sank to his knees and watched the waters intently.

"Please come back…" the Arisen whispered to herself, but there was no movement beyond the rocking of the sea back and forth. Seconds turned to minutes as the party waited expectantly for a sign of Savan. Eventually, the Arisen walked over to Salde and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Salde…"

"Master…" The pawn whispered, in a voice that almost sounded broken, "… He … cannot be dead, surely?"

"Let's look for him." The Arisen said and offered Salde an encouraging smile. She held out a hand for the pawn to accept.

"…" it seemed both gestures were lost on him as he looked out hopelessly across the waves, "But where?" he uttered, "Where should we look?"

"The same place where he was lost, of course." Her eyes were fixed on the brooding surf.

"The sea?" Nier frowned, "'Tis dangerous! The Brine dwell in most oceans…"

"Yet I did not see them consume Savan…" The Arisen replied with a shake of her head, "Irrespective, Nier, I am going. You may wait here if you so wish."

"No, master, I will follow you to the ends of the earth, if that is your wish." She thought the pawn almost sounded passionate when he said that, but she dismissed it as her interpretation rather than his intention.

"Alright. I hope you two know how to swim." She leapt towards the unknown depths.

"Swim?" Nier repeated as she grabbed his hand and dragged him with her "WAARGH!"

Salde did not require the same prompts as Nier, he dived in along side the Arisen without so much as a word of complaint. The group were swallowed by the brooding surf as the Arisen closed her eyes and awaited the all-too-familiar sting of the Brine…

End of Chapter 4

* * *

Apologies for the delay on getting this relatively short chapter out! I've been somewhat busy with things (such as the Ur-Dragon Festival and my Tumblr blog).

The next chapter will bring us a step closer to a mysterious figure who seems to hold a great deal of sway over this unknown world, but, they bring with them a unique opportunity for the Arisen...


	5. Chapter 5

_Dragon's Dogma: The Devourer_

By: Ser Savan

_Dedicated to all of the Dragon's Dogma folk on Tumblr, well met friends!_

* * *

**Note**: _Take care you aren't soaked in spoilers! (_There may be occasional spoilers)

**Outline**: This story follows on from the 'true' conclusion to Dragon's Dogma but just before the Godsbane Blade incident. This is a continuation of the life of the Arisen once the mantle of 'Seneschal' has been accepted.

**Notes**: As ever; Arisen is a female sorcerer, her pawn is a male ranger and the Dark Arisen expansion has not been factored in to the journey as this story was started prior to its release. There may be class changes later for the Arisen and Nier, I'll make sure to clearly flag those changes in the notes.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Reselection of Destiny**

Bitter salt water clawed at her mouth and nostrils as she descended into the murky waters. She could feel Nier struggling at her side and at her other side, Salde was relatively still with the exception of his head frantically twisting from side to side in search of Savan.

She could see very little of her surroundings as the cloudy water did not permit her the luxury of a clear view. However, a glimmer down below caught her eye, like a beacon in the dark, it shone almost beckoningly. She started to dive down towards it and felt Nier clinging to the sleeve of her robe. Salde followed, having seen the light he had probably reached a similar conclusion; either that light was Savan, or it might lead to him.

The light was a pale gold in colour and about the size of the ring of Portcrystals that the Arisen had frequented in Gran Soren. As they neared it, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingling; the light was drenched in magical energies and she deduced that it was a 'gate' that led 'somewhere' completely unknown. Something about the portal was undeniably odd, of course a gateway in the middle of the sea was indeed strange, but there was an added sense of malice that surrounded it.

Irrespective, she refused to be intimidated and swam directly into the light. It flashed bright upon contact with the Arisen and her vision was filled with luminous glare. She realised moments later that at some point Nier's grip on her robes had loosened and he was no longer at her side, nor was Salde. A cold sinking feeling filled her stomach as a magical force pulled her violently into the portal.

Light swirled and whirled around her, she no longer felt the cold dampness of the water, she felt as though she were flying through midair in a similar fashion to the sensation when she hurled a Ferrystone over her head to travel Gransys. The familiar magical travel-induced nausea was present, but for some reason it was stronger than usual as the portal dragged her to an unknown terminus. She closed her eyes tightly and thought of her goal in the hope that it might will her to her objective; Savan. The light started to darken and within moments she was plunged into absolute darkness as a force of immense power struck her. She recognised the sensation as the magical presence of another spellcaster. All mages and sorcerers were able to regard one another based on a magical 'aura' that they all possessed, the bearer of this particular aura was strong indeed. It possessed enough power that she felt overwhelmed by its gravity and slipped into unconsciousness.

An undefined expanse of time passed before her, she was only awoken by a sudden and painful impact, which she quickly understood to be her body hitting a hard cold floor. Something about the very taste of the 'air' around her made her feel deeply sick, even before she opened her eyes she had a suspicion of what she would be faced with.

Indeed, as she suspected, the moment her eyes flew open she saw _it_. The throne of the Seneschal and around it the gloomy fog of the Seneschal's Chamber. Something akin to despair nibbled at the sides of her consciousness, yet, she refused to let it take hold of her. There had to be an explanation; this had to be an_ illusion_ like all the others she had faced with Nier, Savan and Salde.

In the distance she saw a figure sat in that awful chair, a human-shaped golden presence, she already knew that this person should be a Seneschal. However, it seemed more appropriate to assume that this could be the illusionist, she stepped forward with the intention of confronting the unknown antagonist.

Before she could speak, the figure spoke in an androgynous tone, "Well met, Arisen. I'll not waste time on rhetoric: Defeat me, and take my place as keeper of this world." As if plucked from her memories, the Seneschal lifted their robed arm and parted the gloomy fog before her, showing the luminous blue skies below. The Seneschal then continued, "You saw it awaiting you at the end of your descent. Aye. The same world you've travelled to arrive at this place. A world you may well now inherit."

"Sto—" she stepped forward, but was halted by the Seneschal raising a single hand.

"It is a simple proposition. No different from any you've faced," the golden robed figure said as, with a dismissive gesture, the Arisen was knocked flying to the floor, "You need only the will to claim what is offered you… The will to survive!" The Seneschal stood and looked towards the Arisen. She recalled well what came next; a pointless battle. She wanted to resist, but it seemed the surreal situation was intent on playing itself through to the end. With a shake of her head, she decided there was no choice but to await the Seneschal's 'reveal'.

The golden robed figure sprung into action with an swift motion, summoning a wave of light that targeted the Arisen. She was used to dodging the straight forward attack and did so. As she twirled to the side she readied a spell and lashed out with three fireballs, each one hitting their target. The Seneschal spoke, unperturbed by the onslaught, "Yes, fight, Arisen, as you ere have fought in coming here!" she dodged another attack and charged up a bolt of concentrated magic at the tip of her staff.

The monologue continued, "What is it that impels you? What force spurs you on? What sustained your wanderings and led you here? I ask you: What is it that makes you alive?" the Arisen fired the charged bolt of magic, but the Seneschal teleported away from the attack before it could strike. She was aware, too late, that the Seneschal was behind her and found herself on the receiving end of a wave of light to the back. She fell forward with a groan and quickly scrambled to her feet.

"'Tis volition. Unbending will. You are here because you willed it, Arisen. That alone has brought you here!" As the monologue droned on, the Arisen focused her magic and attacked with a pillar of ice, striking the golden robed figure and knocking them off of their feet.

However, the body did not hit the ground, instead, she saw the tell-tale golden glow behind her in her peripheral vision and turned to face it. "Stop it…" she whispered, but her voice was ignored as the Seneschal continued;

"Consider… The infinite potential…" Dark Matter swirled just above the golden robed palm. It was a substance the Arisen was intimately familiar with, having used it herself to craft life. The Seneschal lazily motioned and the Dark Matter turned into a mirror image of the Arisen. She stared at it and shook her head in utter confusion, why was she reliving this moment so clearly? What meaning did it hold to replicate her ascension to godhood like this?

The Seneschal gave no answers, only continued to speak its dialogue, "Just as you call forth pawns, so I command all life into existence. Call it divine creation if you must. But expect none of the mercy men seek in their Gods. This is cold truth. The unbending reality of a world without compassion."

"SHUT UP!" she shouted and glared desperately at the golden hooded figure, "Just… Just shut up! Stop this! Stop this right now!"

"The world and all its denizens are but empty vessels. In that regard, no different than the pawns…" Once more she was ignored and the Seneschal persisted with the rehearsed actions of knocking her copy over and incinerating it. "Without volition, there is no true life. The world falls stagnant, dead as an ocean with no current to guide it." the Seneschal appeared behind her, again, forcing her to turn and face it, "That volition is tempered by the struggle for survival. The decision, just like yours, to fight. Just as the pawns need a master's command, so the world thirsts for the will to live."

She was aware of what came next, another battle; "Let us continue, Arisen." As expected, the Seneschal attacked with another wave of golden light "Show that you are more than an empty vessel, animated by forces unseen. Show that the temper of your soul is strong enough to command far more than mere pawns…" She dived out of the way of the wave and responded with fireballs, "Show that your will is fit to bind the fraying circle of this world and hold it fast…" The Seneschal paced back and forth, "Fight tooth and claw. Struggle now, and cling to life. Show that living holds worth enough to fight for!"

She gripped her staff tightly, dashed forward and struck the Seneschal in the head with a frustrated shout of anger. The golden body slumped forward, unmoving after the sudden, and violent, staff-strike to the head. She already knew what she would find, if she turned the body over, but did so anyway with the tip of her foot. She nudged the body so that it rolled on its back. Her own face, deprived of life, stared upwards at its own skull. She looked away from it, sickened. Suddenly, the sky overhead hissed and crackled with energy, she looked around and then down around towards a corridor of swirling clouds that was all too familiar. At its end she saw the Seneschal standing, watching her with a ghost of a smile across its lips.

"It is time to decide. Will you claim your right as Arisen? Or shrug the burden and seek peace in oblivion?"

"Not long now…" she muttered to herself, in an attempt to revitalise herself, "Soon I'll see your face!" she stepped forward with renewed determination.

"Just so." Called the Seneschal, "One foot after the next, come what may. That is what it means to live." The corpse behind her stood up, now swathed in fishermen's rags, and grinning unnervingly, "Turn back now and I will grant you a merciful death. The choice is yours, Arisen. Yours alone."

"Enough already!" she shouted back, "Just stop this charade! I won't be intimidated by your illusions! Even this! This isn't enough to scare me!" her voice sounded meek in her ears and she tried with everything she had to believe her own words.

"'Tis a simple choice, Arisen: Step forward, or retreat. Accept the quiet emptiness of a false peace. Of false life." her words fell on deaf ears once more as the Seneschal disregarded her shouts.

Her teeth gritted as several familiar figures stood between her and the Seneschal, faces she had not seen in a long while; Mason, Mercedes, Julien, the Duke both youthful and decrepit, Feste, Salomet, the Dragonforged, Adaro, Aelinore, Madeleine, Selene and lastly Quina. She closed her eyes and ignored all of their words, she ran around them and let them chase after her. She wouldn't kill them, she could not bring herself to do it the first time she traversed the swirling corridor and she remained unable to strike them, even in frustration.

She neared the Seneschal and glared with a mix of fury and hesitation, whatever came next was likely to be quite a taxing battle...

"You're close, now… So very close to me!" Her heart thumped in her chest as she awaited what came next. The Seneschal rose a hand up towards the shoulder of their golden robes, and pulled.

What happened should have been obvious to her, after all, hindsight was a marvellous thing, but she stared dumbfounded at the sight before her. This was not the twisted illusionist that she had imagined. In her head the illusionist looked like an archetypal demon; leathery wings, fangs, glowing red eyes, claws the length of daggers and a thundering voice of malice and hatred. What stood before her was not a demon at all nor was it terrible force of hatred and evil that she had been expecting.

It was… Savan. Stood in his usual attire, in this world of gloomy clouds, surrounded by a golden aura. He stood as a Seneschal once more.

"Come Arisen." He called and looked at her as though he had no recollection of her, "I shall meet you on your own terms, joined by my own companion of old. You stand now at its end, Arisen. See your journey through!" However, Salde did not appear, nor did Nier. She glanced to her side, expectantly, but their pawns did not join them.

"Savan!" she called out to him, her own voice croaking as her throat grew uncomfortably dry, "Please! This isn't right! This is an illusion! Can't you hear me?!"

The warrior seemed either deaf to her words, or ignorant of their meaning, as he drew his sword and jogged forward towards her. He swung for her and hissed "Yes, stoke the fire of your will to survive. To be victorious! Temper your soul in its heat!"

"You're not listening to me!" she shouted as she evaded another sword strike and ran away from him.

He chased after her, continuing his monologue, "The forge of my heart grows cold, and the world shivers for it. Know this, Arisen: The world is merciless… Cold and empty, for all its beauty."

"Stop this! Stop this now!" she looked behind herself at him and continued to run away, only to find that he had suddenly appeared before her, "A-ah! Savan, stop! This is madness!"

He struck with his sword and red hot pain flashed through her shoulder, _this was not an illusion_, she suddenly thought. This was as real as any other threat she had faced thus far, this moment was very real and Savan seemed intent on killing her. She bitterly wished that Nier was present so that she had enough time to launch some form of counter attack with her magic. As a fighter, Savan was unfortunately swift and aggressive, all she could manage was to fire off the occasional blast of magic from her staff or the occasional, poorly-charged fireball.

After they had exchanged a few blows, she saw the glare of the dawn in the distance, Savan's voice called out to her, "It is an ever-turning wheel, perfect beyond compare. I stand at its centre, as you may come to stand in turn."

"I don't want to!" she shouted, "I don't want everything to come back to this! I won't have all our efforts wasted!"

An unfamiliar voice, devoid of obvious gender, laughed overhead, she looked around, but could find no owner. Savan seemed to ignore it, or was oblivious to it, as he maintained his persistent onslaught. The voice jeered, "Are you suffering, former Seneschal? Fool turned craven?"

The familiar malice that had permeated the golden light in the sea, and knocked her unconscious as she travelled through the portal, had returned. She realised that this voice was the voice of the creature that had orchestrated all of their steps since she arrived in the illusionary Cassardis. This was her true enemy, "Who are you?!" she shouted out at the sky.

"I am the one who oversees these many broken worlds. This place; this graveyard that lies beyond the Rift. 'Tis known to many as the 'End of Worlds' or the Endworld. I am its keeper, its ruler: its God. I am known to the many who dwell here as the Devourer, for I claim the abandoned worlds left by weak willed Seneschals and consume all that they have left behind. Your own world, your own leaf upon the vast trunk of the 'original world', now hangs in the balance. This, former Seneschal, is your one and only chance to make amends. To do what you should have done all along…"

Savan's shield struck the Arisen in the gut and winded her, she clutched at her stomach and knocked him away with a blast of magical energy. Her body groaned in pain and she breathlessly whispered, "What… what are you talking about!?"

"When you abandoned your office as Seneschal, you highlighted your world to me. I am the being who decides the fate of such wayward worlds, places that attempt to disregard the eternal cycle. You arrogant creature… you truly think you are above the cycle? That you have the right to escape it? To defy it? Such conceit cannot be ignored." The voice was swirled with anger and disgust as it accused her of weakness.

"…", in truth, she felt unable to deny it; she had escaped the perceived 'punishment' of being Seneschal simply because she felt unable to tolerate it any longer. She had hoped to find a way out of her duties, was this 'Devourer' telling her that there was no escape from them?

"Former Seneschal. I am not a forgiving creature. I will not grant you the merciful boon of returning you to your office, so do not think that is what is being offered you. I give you this single chance to set things right, but your repentance can only be paid in blood. Cede your life to Savan, let his blade find your neck, and I will return him to his role as keeper of your world. I will let your world go on in peaceful ignorance of this transgression and of your existence entirely. All I require from you is complete submission. Submit to death and I will ensure that your will is recycled into Savan's, so that he might oversee your world anew."

"…" she was stunned by the Devourer's words. Each syllable fell heavily upon her ears. She was being told to willingly erase herself from existence, to reset the world so that her life was wiped from all memory. She was being told to send Savan back to the role that had tormented him for thousands of years, that had warped his very personality and almost driven him mad.

"If you resist me and discard the kindness I am offering you… There will be naught but a grim future for all of you. I will destroy you and consume your world so that it might join this 'Endworld'. The very lives you were supposed to protect and oversee will be subjected to a terrible fate."

"This isn't fair!" she shouted at the sky, "You are telling me to give my will to Savan so he can continue to oversee the world?! He wouldn't want to be Seneschal again! It's too torturous!"

"Ha! What do you know, foolish creature? Savan possesses a quality that you so clearly lack: honour. He was honour-bound and dutiful to the cycle. Whilst I do not approve of his weakness in relinquishing the role of Seneschal to another, I do acknowledge that he did not seek the 'easy' way out from his duties. For that reason, I chose not to punish him and left him in the blissful lie of his hometown. You, on the other hand, I do not afford such kindness. Returning him to the cycle is a better choice than returning you. What is the suffering of one man when compared to entire nations? You would sacrifice the entire land for a single being?"

"It should be his choice!" she replied, and barely remembered to dodge as Savan charged at her again.

"There is no real 'choice'! You were afforded that luxury by Savan, it is not a requisite that the Arisen has to 'choose' their fate. The cycle is only interested in draining the will of a host, willing or no." the Arisen shivered at the Devourer's words, at the knowledge that humans were mere fodder to the 'cycle' and nothing more. "He is my puppet now." The Devourer's voice sneered with amusement, "He does what I will of him. The cycle merely needs him to be obedient so that it might feed off of him and continue ever onwards. That is all that is required of any of you snivelling sacks of flesh and opinion. You merely need to nourish the cycle, that is your only use and your only purpose!"

"Puppet…?" She repeated, then a spark of inspiration filled her. It was clear now that Savan was possessed by this Devourer. Possession was something she could alleviate!

"Oh, that glint in your eyes... How very amusing. Is that your choice, former Seneschal? To stand and defy me? 'Tis a fool's notion to even think it possible."

"I will not give in to you! I will find a way to destroy you!"

Laughter boomed over her head and echoed across the expansive chamber "You? Destroy me? … 'Tis not the first time I've heard that bold statement from pathetic former Seneschal's and t'will not be the last either, I'd wager. You are a fool to think you can defy my will!" The malefic presence started to dissipate, its last words echoing, "The choice remains, former Seneschal, I will await your answer with interest."

Savan commanded her full attention as he drove his shoulder into her and knocked her to the floor. "It is my will that keeps it spinning. My will that urges time onward through eternity… Our kind must fight, and through fighting prove the temper of our will." She looked up and saw him standing over her with his sword raised over his head. He roared out and brought the blade down towards her skull…

End of Chapter 5

* * *

This particular 'scene' has been swirling around in my head for a long time. Therefore, writing it seemed to come out easier and quicker than I thought it might!

And so, we have our first encounter with the 'Devourer' (well its voice, rather than it). I really hope I've managed to convey the contempt it holds towards humans, Arisen's and the Seneschal that do no obediently serve the cycle unto eternity...


End file.
